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Copiapoa lembckei var. magifica
n.n. KK1393 Caldera, Chile 100-200m
(C. calderana).
Really magnificent!!!
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White woolly
areoles & black (usually) to amber/brown stout spines. |
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Copiapoa calderana in habitat forms clusters of stems covered by a
whitish grey bloom that is generally not present on the cultivated
specimens that usually have a dark solitary body.
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Family:
Cactaceae (Cactus
Family)
Scientific name:
Copiapoa
calderana F. Ritter 1959
(The name Copiapoa lembckei was not validly published.)
Origin: Coastal deserts of northern
Chile (Atacama, Antofagasta, Caldera)
Habitat:
In the area where this plants grows
there is very little rain but frequent coastal fog, which provides a
significant part of their water needs.
Conservation status: Listed in
CITES appendix 2.
Synonyms:
- Copiapoa lembckei Backeberg 1959
- Copiapoa calderana var. spinisor F.
Ritter 1980
- Copiapoa marginata (Sd) Br&R
- Copiapoa magnifica
- Copiapoa marginata v. magnifica
Copiapoa streptocaulon
- Copiapoa atacamensis,
- Copiapoa boliviana,
- Echinocactus bolivianus,
- Copiapoa lembckei
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Description:
Solitary or slowly clumping
Stem: 5 cm tall , 10 cm in diameter, depressed spherical or
shortly cylindrical with a woolly apex, pale grey-green, with grey tips.
Ribs: 10 to 17 ribs, wide blunt, not notched, approx 1 cm high.
Areoles: Round, woolly, dull-white/grey that darken as they ages,
5-10 mm apart.
Spines: Usually black, awl-shaped to needle-like, hard and
straight (or slightly bent), becoming grey with age.
Central spines: 1( to 2) about 2-3 cm long.
Radial spines: 4 to 7; ± 1 to 1.5 cm long.
Flowers: Large (± 3 cm) light yellow, funnel-shaped, scented.
Blooming season: Flowers in spring and summer, followed by green
fruit.
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Cultivation: This
extremely slow growing cactus is kept for the beauty of its form.
It
must be protected from excessive heat and sun in
summer, and seems to do best in cultivation with a bit of shade.
It requires light but regular waterings in summer, but let the soil
mix dry between waterings, Prone to rot if over-watered.
Needs good drainage.
Keep warm and dry in
winter (10°C) to avoid rot. Not highly tolerant of a great deal
of frost. (Frost tolerance 0°C)
Propagation: Seeds (offsets rarely), Grafting is often used to
speed growth rate and to create a back-up to plants in collection.
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Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and
cultivars of plants belonging to the
Copiapoa calderana.
complex ((This
Taxon has lots of
synonyms ( like many other Copiapoa) whit several controversial
varieties and subspecies and comprises several different forms, but
where each form is linked to others by populations of plants with
intermediate characteristics):
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Cultivation and Mail Sale 
